Our mission is to enable individuals and families, regardless of age, to effectively and productively meet the many challenges within today's scope of "problems of living" by providing comprehensive community services in a caring environment.

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The Emma L. Bowen Community Service Center (the Center) delivers a broad range of services which address mental health and substance abuse issues with a major focus on residents of Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood, working with children/adolescents and their families as well as adults and senior citizens. Our services include the following:

This clinic provides therapeutic treatment services to individuals, ages 18-60, with emotional or psychological problems. Treatment includes individual, group and/or family therapy and medication management as necessary.

Chemical Dependence

This outpatient clinic helps those who suffer from alcohol and/or substance abuse to achieve sobriety and personal growth. This is accomplished through individual, group and family counseling with a special focus on relapse prevention techniques. In addition, individuals are encouraged to develop community support systems, including a commitment to Alcohol Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous.

There is also a mentally ill, chemical abuse (MICA) component that provides services to people who suffer from both mental illness and drug abuse. An interdisciplinary approach helps stabilize the person's condition and develop permanent recovery skills.

Adult Continuing Day Treatment

Our social workers and nurses conduct individual, family and group counseling sessions to clients 18-60 years of age who suffer from a serious persistent mental illness. Our staff of psychiatrists prescribes and monitors their medication. In addition, a specialized unit is dedicated to clinical and case management services for those with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse.

Psychosocial Clubhouse

This outpatient program helps chronically mentally ill individuals develop independent living, social and interpersonal relationship skills through structured recreational and cultural activities. This program is open during the afternoon and evening hours and on Saturdays.

Supportive/Blended Case Management

In this model, the case manager brings together a variety of human resources (housing, social services, medical/mental health/substance abuse, etc.) needed to help the seriously, persistently mentally ill person manage his/her life and illness.

Transitional Employment

Individuals recovering from mental illness learn job readiness skills including how to prepare a resume, how to dress appropriately for interviews and the importance of being on time. Following this process, they are employed in the community on a short-term basis (3-6 months). Here they apply newly learned job skills while receiving job coaching, vocational counseling and peer support groups. These time limited job placements frequently lead to permanent employment.

Many older people face depression and isolation. The Elderly Clinic is dedicated to evaluating and treating these and other psychological problems. Our aim is to improve emotional well-being and support independent living as clients successfully adjust to aging. Home visits can be made available for the homebound.

Geriatric Outreach Program

This program serves elderly individuals who are in need of counseling or specific services, but currently are not accessing them.Outreach workers visit senior centers, churches, healthcare facilities, etc. to provide counseling and information about mental health and other specific concrete services.Staffconnects seniors to these services. The project also reaches out to family members of the elderly and those who work with them.

This year round program offers educational and clinical services to pre-school children (3 to 5) with emotional or behavioral difficulties, or delays in cognitive/language development. Children are engaged in small, structured classroom settings, weekdays from 9am to 3pm. Parents are required to participate in classroom settings as a part of the family learning process. Overall, the program prepares children for entry into public or private school as mainstream students.

Child Adolescent Outpatient Clinic

A wide-range of behavioral health care services are available for children and adolescents, and their families who are experiencing psychological distress or behavioral dysfunction. Using individual, group, and family therapies, treatment is sensitive to the racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic differences of youngsters and families. The goal is to promote personal growth and development

This twenty-bed residence for adult men and women provides a structured living environment as part of a continuum of care for residents seeking recovery from alcoholism and chemical dependency. Individuals come to this program, having completed inpatient rehabilitation treatment. Residents participate in outpatient treatment, 12 step groups and educational or job training programs.